This is a legendary story, an ordinary old man who spent his life interpreting what it means to truly "serve the people". His name was He Jiaqing, a legendary figure revered as "China's most bullish county magistrate". Unlike the glorious officials, his life was full of ups and downs and legends.
Love armor
He Jiaqing was born into such a family, and he was the first generation of intellectuals who grew up after the founding of New China. In He's family, there are eight people, and the family's livelihood depends on his father pulling flatbed trucks to deliver coal. He Jiaqing is always full of gratitude for his father's sacrifice and dedication to their lives.
He Jiaqing's clothes have always been very simple, and he only has a blue Zhongshan suit in his wardrobe. This Zhongshan suit accompanied him for 47 years, almost half a century. This beloved Zhongshan suit was made for him by his father when He Jiaqing was admitted to college the year he used the money from selling coal to find someone to make it for him. It was in the process of pulling coal delivery that He Jiaqing's father accidentally overturned and broke his finger because of overwork, but he endured the pain and delivered the goods to the destination with one hand. With the money from selling coal, my father pulled a 7-foot blue kabu and made this Zhongshan suit for He Jiaqing, the most fashionable one at that time. This dress is mixed with his father's expectation and kindness, and they are like a piece of love armor, firmly locking He Jiaqing's body and mind.
In 1976, after graduating from Anhui University, He Jiaqing chose to stay at the university to teach. While in college, he heard that in his early years, a foreigner visited Dabie Mountain and recorded more than 500 plant species. However, He Jiaqing was convinced that the plant resources of Dabie Mountain were much more than this amount, so he decided to go to Dabie Mountain himself to conduct a field trip to learn more about the species in the area and find a project that could lead the mountain people out of poverty and become rich.
However, the biggest difficulty in visiting Dabie Mountain is the problem of funding. He Jiaqing roughly estimated that even without considering the issue of food and lodging, the equipment required for the inspection would cost about 6,000 yuan. For a university teacher who earns only 18.9 yuan a month, this amount is simply astronomical. He realized that even if he didn't eat or drink for a year, it would take 30 years to save money.
Despite their difficult circumstances, for most people, they may retreat. However, this is not the case with He Jiaqing, because he is a persistent "madman". The ideal beat like a worm, beating in his heart all the time, so he was determined to squeeze this money out of his teeth. In the following years, He Jiaqing only ate steamed buns and drank porridge at every meal, or even did not eat vegetables. He even strives for simplicity in the life event of marriage, and simply eats a meal with his lover to complete the ceremony. He saved money penny by penny, and in 8 years, he actually saved more than 3,000 yuan.
Continue to save money in this way, and after another 8 years, He Jiaqing was finally able to go to Dabie Mountain to investigate as he wished. At that time, however, he was 35 years old, he could not hold on, and the mountain people, who were desperately needed to escape poverty, could not wait.
Just when he was in trouble, He Jiaqing's 80-year-old father sent him a surprise, and he took out the pension he had saved for half his life. Two cents, a dime, two dollars... He Jiaqing counted one by one, which amounted to more than 4,000 yuan. He Jiaqing hesitated, he knew that this was the money that his father had worked hard to save to send him off in his old age. He couldn't bear the fact that he had relied on his father to drive a trolley to take him to college, and after all these years, he had not made anything in return to his father, but had to use his father's pension. Doing this, He Jiaqing found it difficult to accept in his heart.
The father sensed the entanglement in his son's heart, and trembled and took out a large piece of paper made from five cigarette packs from his arms. This large piece of paper densely records the help and assistance given to their families by neighbors, teachers, students, and government officials. Five cents, a pair of old rubber shoes, two workbooks, tuition waiver... His father didn't speak flamboyantly, but He Jiaqing understood his father's intentions. They have to repay not only their father's nurturing grace, but also those who help their family.
He Jiaqing gently touched the heavy paper, and tears blurred his eyes. His reward has never stopped at his father's pension, but also his return to his father and fellow villagers in his hometown. His goal was to make his peasant brothers rich in poor mountainous areas, so that they could eat and study. This is He Jiaqing's real reward.
Dabie Mountain
One morning in 1984, He Jiaqing wore his Zhongshan suit, with research tools and a camera, and resolutely stepped into Dabie Mountain.
Dabie Mountain, a place that straddles the three provinces of Henan, Jiangxi and Anhui, was once an old revolutionary area. The mountains are high and forested, the terrain is precipitous, the traffic is blocked, and danger is everywhere. But for He Jiaqing, these are not the problems that bother him.
Neither the high forest nor the steep slope of the mountain could stop him. The festering and purulent leech in his legs could not crush him either. Even the poisonous snakes and wild wolves that threatened his life from the deep mountains could not interfere with his investigation of Dabie Mountain.
The thin He Jiaqing was like a cypress tree, standing alone on the edge of the cliff. He was firmly rooted in this land, and he was determined that Qingshan would not relax. Even a thousand blows could not make him fall, and let the wind blow from east to west, south and north.
He left early and returned late every day, in a hurry, and he wished that one minute would become ten minutes. After many difficulties, finally one day, He Jiaqing accidentally slipped off a cliff in exhaustion. He gripped the abrupt boulder between his legs and clasped his hands to the gap in the cliff.
His cry of "help" echoed in the depths of the deserted mountains. Finally, a passing hunter heard his cry for help and rescued him.
Although he almost died, He Jiaqing did not flinch, and he continued to measure every corner of Dabie Mountain. Such a dangerous and lonely day lasted for 225 days, and in the end, He Jiaqing walked out of Dabie Mountain with satisfaction.
On the 12,684-kilometer route he traveled, He Jiaqing recorded a large amount of information and collected 3,117 plant species to make specimens. These specimens provide valuable information for the country's "Spark Program".
During this expedition, He Jiaqing also discovered the plant that helped the people of Dabie Mountain get rid of poverty and become rich - konjac. Konjac is a potato plant suitable for cultivation in warm and humid areas, especially suitable for growing on the slopes of half-shade and half-sun at an altitude of about 1500.
After repeated research and comparison, He Jiaqing concluded that the konjac planting technology is not high, but the yield is not low. Planting one mu of konjac can produce 8,000 kilograms a year.
At that time, the income of one mu of konjac was enough for a college student to study and live. He Jiaqing excitedly concluded that konjac is the best choice for mountain people to get rid of poverty and become rich.
As a result, He Jiaqing began to go to various villages for free to explain planting techniques and encourage farmers to grow konjac. But poverty scared the peasants, who did not dare to try. Land in mountainous areas is already limited, and farmers fear that if konjac cultivation fails, they will not even be able to guarantee food and clothing.
As a farmer, Ho Jiaqing understands their concerns. In order to dispel their doubts, He Jiaqing did not hesitate to squeeze 800 yuan out of his rations and bought konjac seedlings out of his own pocket for verification.
As expected, Konjac unintentionally had a good harvest. The average yield per mu has reached more than 6,000 jin, and if 500 mu are planted, the cumulative income can reach more than 4 million yuan.
Facts speak louder than preaching. Farmers began to grow konjac, asking He Jiaqing about planting techniques and sales channels. Ho Ka Hing always patiently answers their questions and provides them with sincere guidance.
In order to let more people understand the cultivation technology of konjac and enjoy the benefits brought by planting konjac, He Jiaqing did not have time to breathe, so he devoted himself to the writing of "Konjac Cultivation Technology".
This 180,000-word konjac planting book has brought a happy life to countless people.
Because of his contributions, He Jiaqing was honored as the "King of Konjac".
Deputy county magistrate of farmers
In 1990, He Jiaqing was appointed deputy county magistrate of science and technology in Jixi County. During his 850 days in the position, he spent most of that time with local villagers. He ate and lived with them, worked together, and returned home together. Many praised him, saying that he looked more like a farmer than any farmer.
However, all this is not without cost. In 1991, when a flood occurred in Jixi, He Jiaqing ignored his own safety and directed flood relief work in the water day and night. Although he eventually succeeded in saving many villages, he himself unfortunately contracted schistosomiasis. Even in the face of death, he could not cure the disease.
After achieving fame, Ho returned to the university campus, where he could have enjoyed the purity of learning. However, he could not forget those who had not yet escaped poverty, and he decided to use his physical and mental time to go to the countryside again to help farmers realize their dreams of escaping poverty and becoming rich.
After the Spring Festival in 1998, He Jiaqing took a letter of introduction issued by the school and a list of poor counties, carrying the 27,720 yuan he had accumulated over the years, and embarked on the journey to the western frontier alone like a missionary. He hopes to spend the rest of his life bringing prosperity to the people of this land.
However, He Jiaqing has experienced many difficulties and setbacks on the road to poverty alleviation. He has been robbed, caught in mudslides and even bitten by poisonous snakes. He slept in pigsties, ate pig food, was even tricked into working in quarries, and was ridiculed and beaten by beggars.
However, he also gained a lot of warmth and touch. Once, in the middle of the night, he lay alone in the heart of the deserted mountains, and listened to the natural music of nature with tears. When he fainted in the mountains, the common people accepted him and made him soup to ward off the cold. When he was sick, he also received gratitude and help from the villagers.
All this happened on the 31,600-kilometer road where He Jiaqing taught konjac cultivation techniques. These 305 days of poverty alleviation have brought together countless moving stories.
After the end of poverty alleviation, He Jiaqing was seriously ill, and all the poverty alleviation funds he brought with him had been exhausted. He had to beg along the way home.
He hesitated, and finally said to the owner of a restaurant, "Can you give me the rest of the noodles?" He Jiaqing never imagined that one day he would become a beggar. He never felt arrogant, but the act of begging deeply hurt the self-esteem of an intellectual. It left a deep scar in his heart.
Time is running out
He Jiaqing's body trembled, and he barely sent his weak body with only 80 pounds left into the house. However, his heart is full of feelings of steadiness and satisfaction.
He finally did what he wanted to do! He has also fulfilled his due responsibility!
Even though he didn't have much time left in his life, he had no regrets because he knew he had gained enough.
After returning home, He Jiaqing could not bear the torment of illness, but he still ran desperately in the farmland.
This time, he is dedicated to promoting another crop that will make farmers rich: melons.
To ensure that farmers could learn and apply the technology, he worked tirelessly from house to house, selflessly sharing with them his life-for-life experience of getting rich.
Sometimes, it was noon, and He Jiaqing was still working in the fields, and the peasants felt overwhelmed and invited him to eat first.
However, he always insisted: "Don't worry, wait until I'm done with food." ”
It seems that this thin He Jiaqing has endless energy in his body.
No one would have thought that Professor He Jiaqing, who had never complained about suffering and tiredness, would actually run out of energy.
One day in July 2019, He Jiaqing suddenly fainted on the way to Qianshan to investigate, it turned out that he was already in the terminal stage of cancer.
He Jiaqing spent his last days in a hospital bed.
Professor Ho Ka Hing, who once experienced pain due to begging, is very calm in the face of illness.
He left his last words:
Donated his corneas to children in the mountains.
From his hospital bed, He Jiaqing continued to write research reports and guide farmers to plant melons through his mobile phone.
The night before his death, Professor Ho Jiaqing leaned on the bedside and wrote his own article, and he said to himself with hope:
I wonder if this year's melon production is good? Can farmers sell at a good price?
The dreamy picture unfolded before his eyes:
Huge, golden, plump melons are covered with vines.
Suddenly, a ripe melon fell from the vine and broke open at his feet.
The golden flesh shimmers with plump melon seeds, which are closely arranged and playful...
end
Ho's story is a model of perseverance and dedication. He dedicated his life to developing countries and farmers with his actions and efforts. He faced many difficulties and challenges, but he persevered in his efforts to make people's lives happier.
As the famous saying goes, "Where there is a will, there is a way." "Ho Jiaqing's story tells us that as long as we have firm goals and will, and are not afraid of suffering and suffering, we can overcome all difficulties and realize our dreams.
Ho Jiaqing's story is deeply inspiring. His persistence and dedication taught us that no matter what our profession is, we can be a person who is good for others as long as we do it with our hearts, consider others, and always maintain integrity and integrity.
In life, we should also take inspiration from Ho Jiaqing's story, set goals for ourselves, and pursue them persistently. No matter what difficulties and setbacks we encounter, we should face them bravely, do not retreat, work hard, and make our own contributions to the progress and development of society in order to make a better life for ourselves and others.
Ho's story is an inspiring story, and his spirit will always inspire people to pursue their dreams and dedication. We should learn from him, contribute to society and others with our actions, and add positive energy to the world.
"Lofty people are always determined and do not forget the original intention of food and clothing". He Jiaqing's story quotes this famous saying to warn us that no matter how much we have achieved, we must not forget our original intention, always maintain care and help for others, not covet any wealth, and truly serve the people.